


Got Your Name On My Body Like A Tattoo

by nerdgirlwalking



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, F/F, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-02
Updated: 2015-09-02
Packaged: 2018-04-18 15:11:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,132
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4710497
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nerdgirlwalking/pseuds/nerdgirlwalking
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The name appears on your eighteenth birthday. Swirls and whirls of black ink revealing your soulmate. It’s a big deal for most people, for Sara Lance not so much.<br/>Soulmates AU chapter from Pilot Season is now a fic of it's own.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Sara

**Author's Note:**

> Wow so between the response here and on twitter folks really liked that last chapter of Pilot Season. As it was a lot of fun for me to write I decided what the hell and wrote a little more and then a little more. This is pure, unbridled fluff!   
> If you read Chapter 5 of Pilot Season that's Chapter 1 of this. I didn't make any major changes to it so you can skip ahead to Chapter 2 if you want to jump right into the new stuff. I've got things capped at three chapters for now but this little universe is fun to write like I said so I won't rule out coming back and adding more some day.

 

 

The name appears on your eighteenth birthday. Swirls and whirls of black ink revealing your soulmate. It’s a big deal for most people, for Sara Lance not so much. She’d watched as her parents despite being branded with each other’s names fought night after night about the utility bill or how late Dinah stayed over at the university or how much longer Quentin was going to put off transferring to a safer desk job. She watched as her older sister lost the boy she loved, and Sara herself had a major crush on, when the name of some girl no one had ever even heard of appeared across Oliver Queen’s wrist. Soulmate didn’t equal happy.

 

Of course three months later Tommy Merlyn appeared across Laurel’s left wrist and after the initial drama, Tommy had been sort of a man whore before Laurel’s name appeared, the two of them seemed pretty damn happy. Sara thought about how she had caught them making out in the driveway a couple of hours ago. Laurel sounded extremely freaking happy and Sara got to be scarred for life as an early birthday present.

 

Anyway, while most people were excited to get the mark, Sara was apprehensive. What if it was someone she knew and hated? What if it was some random she never even meets? That happens to some people. Even worse, some people don’t get names at all, just a series of broken or jumbled letters signifying that their soulmate was already gone from this world. Could that happen to her? Sara had that kind of luck.

 

The burning in her wrist had stopped fifteen minutes ago. Should she look? She should look right? She was just about to take off the bandage she had wrapped around her left wrist this morning when Laurel slipped into her room. “Okay I gave you fifteen minutes to process,” She smiled as she flopped on the bed beside her, “Who is it?”

 

“I haven’t, um, looked yet.”

 

Laurel’s eye’s widened, “What?”

 

“I haven’t looked yet,” Sara repeated, she wouldn’t meet Laurel’s eyes.

 

“Oh Sara,” Laurel sighed and pulled her sister into a side hug. “You can’t go through life assuming the worst all the time.”

 

“It’s not my entire life,” Sara replied. She held up her wrist, “Just this.”

 

“Sara.”

 

“What if there’s no name? What there is but if it’s someone like Fuller? That guy is a complete asshat.”

 

“Fine,” Laurel huffed, reaching for the tape that held the bandage on.

 

Sara jerked her wrist away, “What are you doing?” The names were extremely personal things. You didn’t just grab someone’s arm and take a gander on a whim. Of course Laurel had freaked out so much when she got her mark that Sara was pretty sure the entire neighborhood had known at the time. Her sister wasn’t great with boundaries.

 

“I’ll look first. There will be a name there. It won’t be Fuller. I’ll tell you and you’ll calm the hell down. Then we will have ice cream.” Laurel grabbed her wrist again. Sara let her this time. It actually wasn’t a bad idea. Laurel smiled at her as the tape came off. “It’ll be fine.” She unwound the gauze but kept her thumb down over the last layer. She looked Sara in the eye, “You ready?”

 

“Not really,” Sara groaned, “But go ahead.” She closed her eyes and felt the last bit of gauze fall away. Laurel was quiet. After several minutes it was worryingly so.

 

“Uh Laurel?”

 

She let out a breath, “There’s a name.” She sounded weird when she said it though.

 

“Why are you so quiet then?”

 

“Sara, I love you no matter what okay? So will Mom and Dad.”

 

Sara opened her eyes but didn’t look at her wrist. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

 

“The name, I think it’s a girl.”

 

“Oh,” Sara bowed her head. She hadn’t told anyone she thought she might be bi. Guess fate decided to do it for her.

 

“It’s okay, Sara.”

 

“Really?”

 

Laurel pulled her into another hug. “Yeah, of course it is.” She squeezed Sara tightly. “Who cares if it’s a girl, people can’t argue with fate right?”

 

“Why do you still sound weird?” Sara pulled back. “And why did you say that you think it’s a girl’s name? Shouldn’t you know?”

 

“Um…”

 

Sara finally sucked it up and took a look at her wrist. Her eyes widened. “Why does my soulmate’s name sound like a character from _The Lord of The Rings_?”

 

Seven years later Officer Lance stood waiting for the Arrow on a rooftop overlooking the still rebuilding area of the city known as the Glades. “Took you long enough.”

 

“There was a mugging on 9th,” Oliver replied lowering his hood. “What’s up Sara?”

 

She held out a file she had compiled from copies of reports in her father’s office, “Some guys dressed like ninjas have been spotted around the city. A kid with an iPhone managed to snag a candid.” Oliver flipped open the file. “Look familiar?”

 

“Malcolm Merlyn,” He growled.

 

Sara sighed, “That’s what I thought too.”

 

Oliver shook his head, “Malcolm is dead.”

 

“I know that’s what you told everyone but is there any way…”

 

“I stabbed him in the chest, Sara.” Oliver interrupted her. “I stabbed him in the chest. You don’t just walk away from that.”

 

She knew how chest wounds generally worked. But if Malcom Merlyn was really gone, “Then who are these guys?”

 

Oliver clenched his fist, “Maybe he had followers.”

 

“The cult of Merlyn?” Sara whistled, “That’s a scary thought.”

 

“Yeah,” Oliver flipped up his hood and turned to leave. “This could be tied to that auction for Merlyn’s remaining tech.”

 

Sara rested her hands on her gear belt, “Merlyn’s guys came back to pick up their boss’ leftovers?” She bit her lower lip, “That could play.” And it was a scary thought. Oliver had stopped Merlyn’s plan for the most part and half the city still got trashed. If that technology fell into even crazier hands, hands that wanted revenge for their boss’ death…

 

“We still have to concentrate on the auction. We can’t let anyone else get their hands on those devices.”

 

“My dad is trying to get some guys on it off the books.” Sara frowned, “It’s not easy going. The brass doesn’t want to listen, and people are running scared. No one wants to lose face because their pension is so much more important that saving a few hundred lives.” Sara loved being a cop but the politics involved at the upper levels made her sick. She looked Oliver up and down. Sometimes you had to go outside the law to get anything done.

 

Oliver nodded, “I’ll have Felicity run a search through the city’s traffic cams see if we can find these guys again.”

 

Sara smiled, “Tell her we’re on for karaoke on Wednesday.” She gestured to the file still in Oliver’s hand, “Well if things don’t go all Ninja Gaiden between now and then.”

 

Oliver returned a rare smile of his own, “She’s looking forward to it.”

 

“You know you can come with right?”

 

He scowled, “I don’t sing.”

 

“But you could pay for our bar tab,” Sara laughed. Oliver jumped off of the roof in reply. Sara smiled, she was pretty sure she’d be drinking for free on Wednesday night.

 

A few nights later, Sara swore that if she got out of this alive she was going to make Oliver buy her an entire distillery. The date for the auction of Malcolm Merlyn’s remaining earthquake device had been moved up. Sara and a few other officers had raided the scene on information from an “anonymous” tipster Sara was sure was named Felicity Smoak. They had expected the Arrow to be there as backup but the man in the hood had yet to show up.

 

Sara ducked back behind a pile of tires as a stream of bullets came her way. Once they stopped she popped out of cover and fired a series of quick shots emptying her service weapon as she sprinted for another area of the warehouse. She'd need to reload when she got to cover, if she got to cover. Sara pushed her legs harder. She had to drop into a slide the last few feet but managed to cross the building without getting tagged. She had volunteered with two other men to circle to the north side of the warehouse to create a cross fire on the men guarding Merlyn’s device in the middle of the facility. She was the only one who had made it this far however.

 

“Hello,” A voice called from above. Sara looked up to see a man with a gun standing over her. Looked like her luck had just run out.

 

She kicked out with all her might at the man’s left knee. She smirked at the satisfying crunch that came with the contact. The man fell to his other knee. But he managed to bring his gun around and clip Sara on the side of the head with the grip. Before she could recover the guy was on top of her. He tried to bring the gun back around but Sara grabbed his wrist and wrenched it back violently causing him to drop the weapon. He retaliated by punching her in the face with his free hand. He fell forward and pressed his forearm across her throat.

 

A black leather clad arm came around her attacker’s throat. “Is that anyway to treat a lady?” A voice that would soon feature in several of Sara’s dreams asked. She looked up to see a woman standing behind the kneeling man. Before he could reply she plunged a sword into his chest.

 

Sara’s eyes widened. Had that woman seriously just killed that guy with a sword? Sara laughed. This was crazy. The world had gone freaking crazy.

 

“You should be more mindful of your surroundings,” The woman said with a smirk as she kicked the man’s body aside. She was wearing black leather armor. A matching black hood was covering her hair. Was she one of Merlyn’s ninja friends? The outfit was different but how many people were running around the city dressed like ninjas? There were subtle red highlights on the armor along her shoulders, a mark of rank maybe?

 

“Who are you supposed to be?”

 

“An ally at the moment, Officer.” The woman leaned around their cover and fired an arrow at the group of men still shooting in their general direction from the center of the warehouse. “I would greatly appreciate it if you would be so kind as to use the radio on your belt to notify your colleagues not to shoot any of my men.”

 

Sara sat up and reached for her radio but hesitated.

 

“I assure you that my men and I do not wish Malcolm Merlyn’s device to fall in to the wrong hands any more than you do. Our mission is to see it destroyed.”

 

Now wasn’t the time to look a gift horse in the mouth. Sara brought her radio up. “This is Lance, be advised the ninjas are friendly. I repeat the ninjas are friendlies.”

 

“Are you serious, Sara?” A voice questioned. Sara noticed a slight widening of her savior’s eyes at the sound of her name. She’d wonder about that extra bit of weirdness later.

 

“No, I thought now was a perfect time for jokes. Just don’t shoot anyone with a bow Thompkins,” Sara growled. She then stood up. She was a little dizzy from the blow to the head but it was manageable. She noticed her companion had moved around to the north side of their hiding place and climbed on top of a few of the crates.

 

“What are you doing up there?” She hissed. If Bronze Tiger or his men saw her, “Do you want to get shot?”

 

The woman nodded towards where the shots were originating from. “The container those men are defending? It contains Merlyn’s device?”

 

Sara nodded, “Yeah as far as we know.”

 

“Excellent.” The woman pulled an odd looking arrow from the quiver on her back and held it out to Sara. “This is an incendiary arrow with a five second delay. I am going to fire it and you are going to run for the door.”

 

“But what about you?” Sara didn’t know the woman but she didn’t want her to get hurt either. She had sort of saved her life earlier, which engendered warm, “I don’t want you to get blown up” feelings for the strange woman. If that arrow went boom who knew what else in here would go up with it?

 

“I’ll take care of any survivors and then follow.” Sara must have looked skeptical because she added, “This is what I do Officer Lance. I won’t take any foolish risks.” She licked her lips, “Especially now…”

 

“What is that supposed to mean?”

 

“Do you always ask so many questions?” The woman replied. She strung the arrow and drew back her bow. “Prepare yourself.”

 

Sara shook her head, “Anyone ever tell you that you’re kind of annoying?”

 

The woman’s smile was feral, “You are the first to be brave enough to say it to my face. It’s rather refreshing. Not that I’d encourage the habit in others that way surely leads to madness and exposed bone marrow.”

 

“Okay add crazy to that.”

 

“Indeed,” The woman chuckled. “Move on three. One…”

 

Sara grabbed her radio, “Every one pull back. Incoming. Pull back.” Sara hoped her guys listened.

 

“Two,” The woman smiled one more time at Sara. “Three.” She loosed the arrow and Sara took off like a shot towards the open loading doors. She counted in her head. As soon as she hit five a blast of hot air rushed around her. She leapt across the final few feet and rolled through and then away from the doors.

 

Her ears were ringing as she lay face down on the pavement. She felt gloved hands on her shoulders, “Sara? Sara can you hear me?” She was gingerly rolled onto her back.

 

She looked up at Oliver’s concerned face. “Where the hell were you?”

 

Sara tossed her keys into the bowl she kept near her front door and slunk in to her living room the next evening. God she was tired. She’d spent the remainder of her night after the raid in the ER, meaning she hadn’t gotten any sleep before going back on shift this morning. She reached out and turned on one of her lamps. That’s weird. She was sure she hadn’t left that widow open.

 

“Are you well? You were not injured in the blast were you?” A voice called out from behind her.

 

Sara spun around drawing her gun, “What are you doing here?”

 

The woman from the warehouse stepped into the light. “Do not be alarmed.” She held her hands in the air, “I’m not here to harm you.”

 

Sara didn’t lower the gun. “You forget, I’ve seen what you can do lady. You broke into my home; only an idiot wouldn’t be alarmed right now.”

 

The woman stepped forward and gently placed her hand on Sara’s arm. “You never have anything to fear from me.” She had a pleading look in her eyes, like she wanted to beg Sara to believe her.

 

It went against everything Sara had been trained to do but she lowered her gun. The woman’s words rang true. Now that the initial shock of finding someone in her apartment had passed, she didn’t feel threatened. She placed her gun back in its holster.

 

“Officer S. Lance,” The woman smiled and traced her fingers across Sara’s name tag. “Sara Lance.”

 

Sara nodded, not sure where this was going.

 

“In all my imaginings I never conceived that you’d be so breathtaking.” Before Sara could process that, the woman wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled their bodies together. The next thing Sara knew she was being kissed within an inch of her life.

 

The woman smiled brightly when she finally pulled away from the kiss. Talk about breathtaking. Sara felt dazed. But something about all of this, as weird as it may be, also felt right. She leaned forward for another kiss. The woman kindly obliged her.

 

When they separated long moments later, the woman reached down and pulled Sara’s left arm up and between them. Her fingers caressed the thick, leather cuff Sara wore around her wrist. “I am Nyssa, Daughter of Ra’s al Ghul, Heir to the Demon.” She brought Sara’s hand up and brushed a kiss against the leather.

 

Sara’s eyes widened. She knew those words. They had been inked into her skin for years. Nyssa. She was real. She was here. She brushed her fingers across Nyssa’s jaw in wonder.

 

There was a knock at the door. “Sara?” Her father’s voice called. “Sara, are you home?”

 

“Just a second,” She croaked. Nyssa stepped away from her. The movement left Sara cold. “Wait.”

 

Nyssa smiled at Sara sadly, “Another time, Beloved.” She turned and leapt out the open window.

 

Nyssa, Daughter of Ra’s al Ghul, Heir to the Demon… Sara pulled the leather cuff from her wrist. There it was, stark black lines spelled it out against the pale flesh of her arm: Nyssa, Daughter of Ra’s al Ghul, Heir to the Demon.

 

Nyssa was real and she was gorgeous and judging by those kisses totally in to her. Sara fought not to do a happy dance. Another knock echoed through her apartment. She turned to go open the door for her dad.

 

Her dad. Sara stumbled in the entryway. Nyssa was real…and some type of ninja assassin her dad would probably order her to arrest on sight. “Oh crap.”


	2. Nyssa

Nyssa remembers praying that no name would appear on her wrist. Night after night for years after the death of her mother she would pray that only a jumble of meaningless letters would appear. So when the dawn of her eighteenth year arrived and not only a name but a female one appeared across her left wrist she was filled with dread.

 

She had watched countless warriors arrive in Nanda Parbat with names inscribed on their wrists. She had watched as many of these names were soon eradicated with a brand or in one case the entire lower arm removed. Nyssa knew this was because the loss of one’s soulmate meant the loss of one’s soul. Her father, the mightiest of all, had lost his long ago; the ever present black band on his wrist did not conceal her mother’s name. Their men, her father included, came to the League because of loss and such deep loss changed a man. None of them could hold on to their souls and it made them hard, hopeless and in many cases cruel.

 

Nyssa was her father’s heir. She was meant to be the strongest, the wisest, and the bravest like him. But she never wished to be cruel. She had watched the devotion many gave her mother, not simply because the woman was the Demon’s companion and mother of his heir, but because she was respected for her skill and because she was just. In her private moments Nyssa wished to be more like mother than her father would like. At eighteen Nyssa was already skilled. She aspired to be just.

 

So as she gazed down at the simple black print on her wrist Nyssa knew that she could not afford to lose her soul. Perhaps she would never find this Sara Lance. Even surrounded by the League she had been a lonely child. Loneliness she could deal with. She could endure without this woman in her life. Yes, that would be for the best. Even if the thought pained her.

 

Nyssa should have remembered what they said about the best laid plans.

 

Years later she found herself in Starling City. Logic would dictate that she leave the pretty blonde police officer to the rather large thug attempting to strangle her. There was a narrow window to achieve her goal. The distraction her men provided across town for Oliver Queen would only divert the vigilante for so long. But Nyssa found logic abandoning her as she looked at the woman. Her every instinct told her not to let her die. Instinct was very often what kept Nyssa alive. So she soon found herself plunging her sword into the man’s chest.

 

“You should be more mindful of your surroundings,” She commented as she kicked the man’s corpse aside. Whether she was speaking to him or the pretty officer Nyssa was uncertain.

 

The girl looked up at her with wide blue eyes, “Who are you supposed to be?” That was gratitude for you, Americans were so lacking in the common graces. What happened to a simple thank you?

 

“An ally at the moment, Officer.”

 

There was one benefit to saving the woman, her radio. Nyssa pointed to the device, “I would greatly appreciate it if you would be so kind as to use the radio on your belt to notify your colleagues not to shoot any of my men.” It would make things far easier if they only had to worry about dodging bullets from one side. The woman hesitated however. Only after Nyssa assured her that her mission was to destroy the device did the blonde contact her comrades.

 

It was then that Nyssa received the shock of her life.

 

“This is Lance…”

 

“Are you serious, Sara?”

 

Sara Lance.

 

Nyssa’s eyes widened. She looked down at her left arm. Her gauntlet obscured the words but she knew they were there. She could almost feel them burning as they did nearly a decade ago. Sara Lance, her soul’s mate. This woman was Sara Lance. Was she her Sara Lance? Could it be possible?

 

Another stream of gunfire broke Nyssa from her reverie. Now was not the time. She would complete her mission and only then could she turn her full attention to Officer Lance. The first step was to find a better vantage point.

 

Hours later she sat alone in a darkened corner of a League of Assassins’ safe house on the outskirts of the city. With her mission successfully completed as always, Nyssa allowed herself to focus on personal matters. The tablet in her hand shook slightly as she conducted her research.

 

Sara Lance, twenty five years old, born and raised here in Starling City. Youngest daughter of Quentin and Dinah. Third generation police officer and she was a decorated one at that, Nyssa had found quite a few articles detailing Sara’s good works. Tradition, justice, loyalty it seemed that Sara Lance valued these ideals as much as Nyssa did.

 

She was a fighter as well. Had her attacker survived, Sara’s strike to his knee would have left him crippled for the rest of his life. Many would have given up in her circumstance, alone cornered by a man with a gun. But not Sara Lance, she clearly held a warrior’s spirit. More promising than that she had witnessed Nyssa in action and had still challenged her, questioned her. No one did that. Nyssa wasn’t lying when she told Sara she found it refreshing. She’d likely find anything refreshing with the beautiful woman.

 

Nyssa was experienced enough not to be swayed by a pretty face, but Sara was indeed beautiful. Bright blue eyes reminded her of the winter sky above the mountain back home. That crooked smile promised any number of intrigues. And though the uniform wasn’t cut to display Sara’s best attributes Nyssa was certain the woman had a fine figure.

 

“She’s perfect,” Nyssa sighed. Then she scowled at the overly sentimental expression. She wasn’t some blushing teen. She did not swoon over some woman. It was undignified. It was unbecoming of a warrior of her standing. Her eyes flicked to a picture of a smiling Sara in her uniform. Nyssa sighed again. She was clearly addled.

 

The next evening Nyssa slipped through the window of the lounge area of Sara Lance’s apartment. The room smelled faintly of jasmine and gun oil. She found it rather pleasing. She glanced around; the apartment was small but comfortable. Well within the means of a police officer.

 

A series of framed photographs on a small sideboard caught her eye. Nyssa glided in that direction. The first photo was one of two small blonde children. Sara and her older sister perhaps? Nyssa envied her that. Her siblings had died long before she was born so she was essentially an only child. Still she had her father and the League, which was more family than some. She carefully set the photograph back down.

 

In the next photo Nyssa recognized a younger Oliver Queen standing next to Malcolm Merlyn’s son. The picture must have been taken prior to Mr. Queen’s ill-fated boat ride given his ridiculous hair. The two men were in swimwear on a small speed boat. So it seemed Sara had ties to two of Starling’s most esteemed families. Well esteemed until Merlyn’s Undertaking came to light. She wondered if Sara knew of Mr. Queen’s nocturnal activities. He’d most likely need a link to the city’s police force in order to operate unhindered. A loyal, old friend would fill the role nicely. She’d have to keep an eye on that.

 

The photo beside the one of the men explained the connection to Thomas Merlyn. This one was from a wedding. Nyssa assumed the blonde smiling at up Merlyn the younger was Sara’s sister. There was a slight resemblance. She had to admit the girl was a beautiful bride. Nyssa’s eyes however were drawn to a younger Sara beaming at the camera just to the left of her sister. She’d be even more breathtaking in such a gown.

 

Nyssa set the picture back down in a huff. Truly this was becoming ridiculous. She was the Heir to the Demon; she did not act like this. Daydreaming and sighing and giving longing looks at photographs. When the woman returned home she would confirm that this was merely a flight of fancy, a moment of madness really. There was no earthly way that she’d stumble upon her soulmate in the middle of a mission and save her life in the bargain. Honestly, it sounded like a fairy story.

 

Nyssa spent the next hour exploring the apartment further. Though she did not enter Sara’s bedroom, it didn’t feel right to go there without Sara’s invitation. Nyssa shook her head, and that was more foolishness. What was this woman doing to her? She’d find out shortly as she noted the sound of a key in the lock. She stepped into the shadows. Alright Sara Lance, let us see if I can maintain my composure around you this time.

 

The answer to that was a resounding no, if the kisses were anything to go by.

 

After their encounter there was no doubt in Nyssa’s mind that this was fate, Sara was hers. How else would she explain being so drawn to the woman? The sharp spike of fear at the thought that Sara had been harmed due to Nyssa’s actions? Her complete lack of self-control? As ridiculous as the circumstances surrounding their meeting were, this was fate’s will. One in her line of work did not question fate and survive for long.

 

There was no going back, now having met Sara, Nyssa’s course was forever altered. She began to plan as she ran across the rooftops back to the safe house. Hours later she put the first step in to motion, “Sa’rab you are to remain in the city.”

 

The man bowed, “I mean no disrespect Nyssa but may I ask why? Our mission has been accomplished.”

 

“Malcolm Merlyn’s infernal machine has indeed been destroyed. However in the course of completing that mission a new one, of a more personal nature, has arisen. You are the only man I can entrust to carry it out until I return.”

 

The man squared his shoulders with pride at that, “I live to serve.”

 

“There is a police officer,” Nyssa began.

 

Her father was surprisingly easy to convince. “She is your one Nyssa.” He rubbed at the black band around his left wrist. “It is fated. It is not my place to question. I will grant you leave to court her.”

 

Nyssa bowed in gratitude. Honestly she had been expecting much more resistance. “Thank you, Father.”

 

“I regret that I cannot simply allow you to go to her side right now.”

 

“I understand we must ensure that the last of Malcolm Merlyn’s evil is cleansed from the world and from the League. I have appointed Sa’rab as Sara’s guardian until I can return to the city.”

 

Ra’s raised an eyebrow at that, “What of his ties to Oliver Queen?”

 

“All the better,” Nyssa replied. “Oliver Queen and Sara are old friends. Should Sa’rab be discovered I believe his past association with the man will work in our favor.” In that Oliver Queen will not automatically put an arrow through his eye necessitating that she’d have to send a lesser man to take Sa’rab’s place. Sara deserved the best, in the absence of Nyssa herself that was Sa’rab.

 

“Very well,” Ra’s nodded. “Now to the hunt for Malcolm Merlyn’s associates.”

 

In her absence she sent flowers. Orchids, lilies, roses of every description, a bouquet every week, so that Sara would know that Nyssa’s devotion was real and that she was thinking of her smile. She also wrote letters agonizing over every word. She told Sara of her life, her upbringing and a bit about her purpose. It was a risk, she knew the information could potentially cause Sara to turn away from her but Nyssa wanted their future to be built on a solid foundation. It was better that Sara know exactly who she was tied to from the beginning.

 

“I was discovered,” Sa’rab told her over the phone one morning weeks later as he began his report.

 

Nyssa felt a cold tendril of fear. Would this be the end of it? “And?”

 

He cleared his throat. Nerves perhaps? “Sara Lance thanks you for the flowers and tells you to and I quote get your ass back to the city so that she can take you on a proper date.”

 

Nyssa laughed so loud she startled two recruits who were making their way across the courtyard.

 

 


	3. Not Exactly A Proper Date

“Tommy got a job!” Laurel cheered by way of greeting. It was the middle of the afternoon and Sara had taken a half day from work in order to prep for a fundraiser that evening sponsored by Queen Consolidated for the S.C.P.D. Officer’s Memorial Fund. Sara didn’t really need the entire afternoon, but she had wanted some alone time before she had to go and smooze.

 

Laurel and the concept of alone time were never to meet apparently.

 

“That’s great,” Sara replied after she closed the apartment door behind her sister. It really was. After the incident with his father’s break with reality Merlyn Global had to declare bankruptcy due to the bevy of civil suits against the company. Some people had tried to go after Tommy himself, but the fact that Malcolm had cut him off months before the incident after an argument about Tommy preferring to spend his time working for a non-profit in the Glades than Merlyn Global worked in his favor. Still no one was jumping up to hire the son of a mass murderer.

 

Laurel swept her up into a bone crushing hug, “Maybe we can finally move past this nightmare.”

 

Sara laughed as her sister spun her around. Laurel was strong for such a slight girl. “So what’s the job?” She asked when Laurel finally let her go. She turned and walked further into the apartment. Laurel trailed behind her.

 

“Oh it’s as a new media consultant for a shipping company that is moving some of its offices to the states, Raatko Industries.”

 

“Never heard of them,” Sara said as she leaned against her kitchen counter. Laurel would probably be hunting for coffee soon. Her sister was basically sixty percent caffeine at this point.

 

Laurel went straight for Sara’s coffee maker as predicted. Once she had popped a single serve cup into the proper spot on the machine she turned to face Sara. “I hadn’t either before Tommy told me about scheduling his interview. They’re mainly based in Moscow.”

 

“And they decided to up and move a branch here?” Could it have something to do with the Bratva? Sara would have to give Ollie a heads up. Maybe Felicity could do a little digging.

 

“Yeah it’s a family run thing. The chairman’s granddaughter is relocating to the states to be with her partner. She’s the one that met with Tommy.”

 

“And she didn’t care about everything with his dad?” It seemed a little too good to be true.

 

Laurel nodded, “Tommy actually asked her about that point blank. She apparently told him that no one is able to choose their parents. She could care less as long as he did his job to her standards.”

 

“That’s really great, Laurel. I’m happy for you guys.”

 

“Speaking of happy,” She pointed towards the bouquet of calla lilies that covered most of Sara’s kitchen table. “Another delivery from your secret admirer?”

 

“She’s not a secret to me,” Sara quipped.

 

“So when do I get to meet her?”

 

Sara frowned, “Things are complicated Laurel.” Like she’s sort of an international assassin and lives in an ancient temple on the side of the mountain with spotty cell service complicated.

 

“You keep saying that,” Laurel huffed in frustration. “It’s been months. Are they ever going to get uncomplicated?”

 

“I don’t know,” Sara sighed. There was no way they could really be together was there? She was a cop. Nyssa was…well pretty much most cops’ worst nightmare. Sara’s family was here. Nyssa’s was on top of a mountain halfway around the world. She couldn’t even call her. Things felt sort of hopeless when she really thought about it.

 

It wasn’t really the assassin thing. Sara could probably live with Nyssa’s line of work as from the sounds of it the people she typically took on weren’t the best. Kind of like Ollie except Nyssa got paid for it. Ollie was the key. Sara saw the law as far less black and white since he had started his crusade. Then Malcolm Merlyn destroyed half the city and gray was all she saw. Sometimes following a code was better than following the law. But that way of thinking put her at odds with everything her family stood for. Sara couldn’t look at the flowers anymore so she turned and went into her living room to flop facedown across her couch.

 

“I’m sorry,” Laurel said a moment later as she took up residence on Sara’s coffee table.

 

Sara turned her head slightly to look over at her. “You didn’t do anything wrong Laurel.”

 

She reached out and began to rub Sara’s back. “You’ve been telling me to butt out of your love life ever since you were old enough to have one. Turns out I’m not that great of a listener.”

 

“And yet they gave you a J.D.,” Sara quipped.

 

“Just squeaked by with that.”

 

“Oh yeah Little Miss Law Review,” Sara smiled. “Seriously it’s fine. Today is a happy day. I am not going to be all mopey and bring the mood down.”

 

“Well in the interest of being an awesomely supportive big sister I will refrain from bringing up any women you may or may not have complications with.”

 

“You are too kind.”

 

“I know,” Laurel laughed. “You’re so lucky to have me.”

 

Hours later Sara was staking out the buffet in the ballroom of the Starling City Grand Hotel. “These things may be boring as hell but at least the food is great,” She mumbled to herself as she snagged another canapé.

 

“Talking to the shrimp?” A voice chuckled, “You know there’s a rumor on the web that a guy in Hawaii can actually talk to fish.”

 

Sara turned to smile at Felicity, “I think that’s only the live ones.”

 

“Oh yeah.” Felicity reached out and snagged one of the pre-plated shrimp cocktails, “These guys would probably need their little faces to be able to communicate. Or flippers, do shrimp have flippers?” She popped one in her mouth, “Tasty either way.”

 

“You’re cute.”

 

“Sara, I told you to stop flirting with me you make Oliver terribly insecure. He knows how hot I think you look in your uniform.” She looked her up and down, “And that dress is just, wow. You clean up nice.”

 

She was wearing a cerulean colored halter dress that left her shoulders and a good portion of her back bare. Laurel helped her pick it out. Her sister had said that the color made her eyes pop and it was cut low enough in the back that it would make everyone who saw her eyes pop out. Sara laughed, “Where’s your surlier half anyway?”

 

Felicity glanced at the crowd of hungry guests mingling around the other end of the buffet, “Flat tire on the green line. Apparently they got cut off just before their exit by a Chinese import”

 

“Ah,” So things with the Triad were heating up again, “Diggle driving him?” Does Ollie have backup?

 

“You know it.”

 

“Think he’ll make it before they run out of shrimp?”

 

Felicity shrugged, “Who knows. It should be an easy fix. But he’ll probably write a bigger check if he misses the entire thing.”

 

“Well then I’m sorry to say that I hope you have to hang out with us other poor singles tonight.”

 

“So speaking of singles…” Felicity started.

 

“What?” Sara groaned. Not Felicity too.

 

“Well Laurel sort of mentioned that you got a little upset this afternoon when she asked about your flower lady.”

 

Sara rolled her eyes. It was sweet that her family cared so much but it was also really annoying. “I wasn’t upset. I just have a lot on my mind. I still haven’t heard back on the detective’s exam. My building might be getting sold in the next couple of months so I might have to move…”

 

“So how about some quick and dirty action to take your mind off of things?”

 

Sara slapped her arm, “Felicity Megan Smoak!”

 

“What?” The other woman shrugged, “All I’m saying is there’s a hot brunette in a red dress who keeps looking over here. I’m pretty sure she’s not looking at me…or the shrimp. Though she does look hungry.”

 

“Who? Where?” Sara glanced around. No one seemed to be paying any attention to her.

 

“I don’t know if I should tell you. I’d hate to put something else on your plate right now,” Felicity teased.

 

“I can take it, if only to get away from you,” Sara fired right back.

 

Felicity placed a hand over her heart, “That hurts me Sara.”

 

“You’ll get over it,” She chuckled. “Now where is this supposed hot brunette?” It didn’t hurt to look.

 

Felicity looked somewhere off behind Sara’s left shoulder, “Three o’clock.” She grimaced, “Damn I think she caught me looking. She’s on the move. Go. Go.” She was making little shooing motions with her arms.

 

Sara laughed again, “You’ve been spending too much time with Diggle and Ollie,” She lowered her voice, “Not everything is an op.”

 

“What do you mean? This is totally Operation Get Sara Laid, Oliver and Laurel went halfsies on the call girl.” She shoved Sara in the direction she had last seen the mystery woman, “She was expensive so you better not lose her!”

 

Sara gave in and began walking across the room. In the very least it would break up the tedium of dodging personal questions from her friends and glad handing with strangers for the Memorial Fund. Funds… She turned back to glace at Felicity, “Wait you aren’t serious about hiring her are you?”

 

Felicity’s answering laughter was so loud she startled several older patrons milling about the buffet. One guy spilled an entire shrimp cocktail down the front of his shirt and slipped in the resulting puddle of cocktail sauce. Felicity turned to him in a panic, “Oh crap. Sir are you okay? You aren’t having a heart attack are you? I have aspirin in my purse…”

 

Sara shook her head at her friend’s antics. She wandered around for a bit but still didn’t notice anyone paying any unusual amount of attention to her. Maybe Felicity’s mystery woman really had been checking out the shrimp. She was just about to turn back to the buffet when she felt someone invading her personal space. “You want to back up a little bit pal?”

 

“How is it that you grow more beautiful every time I see you?” A voice husked in her ear. Sara’s skin prickled. She had only heard it on two occasions but she could never forget that voice.

 

“Nyssa?” Sara spun around. It was Nyssa. Sara’s mouth went dry. Correction it was Nyssa in a killer red dress. Flowy, yet tight in all the right places with a slit that seemed to go all the way up. Holy crap. Sara discretely pinched herself. “What are you doing here?” She sputtered.

 

“I’ve come to see you of course,” Nyssa smiled. She took a long perusal of Sara’s outfit, “And what a sight you are.”

 

“Please,” Sara scoffed. Nyssa was standing there looking like a goddess; surely Sara looked plain in comparison.

 

Nyssa frowned, “Do you doubt my sincerity?”

 

“No,” Sara laughed, “Just your eyesight.”

 

“I assure you my vision is perfect and you are the most exquisite woman in the room tonight.” She took a drink from the rocks glass in her hand. “Honestly, no one else compares. It’s a sight I have been starving for ever since the moment I left your side.”

 

Sara’s legs felt like jelly. She stared down three of the Triad’s biggest and baddest the other day without flinching, but one word from this woman sets her knees to knocking? Is this what swooning feels like? “So you’re not just a charmer when it comes to the written word.”

 

Nyssa fidgeted with the cocktail straw in her glass. “I had hoped you would appreciate my letters when I was unable to be here in person.” Wait was she nervous?

 

Sara reached out and took Nyssa’s hand. She shivered a bit when cool fingertips brushed against her palm. “I did. They were pretty damn romantic actually. They teach you that in ninja school or something?”

 

Nyssa laughed, “No, I’m afraid I had to stumble through the letter writing process all on my own.”

 

“Well you’re a natural.” Sara gave her hand a squeeze, “I just wish I had a way to send you a reply all this time.”

 

Nyssa stepped closer, “Sara, I’m sorry.”

 

“It’s alright,” She gestured between them, “This, us, it’s complicated.” Sara wasn’t entirely sure they counted as an us. Didn’t you have to go on a date first? At least a quick coffee?

 

“I’d like to make it less so.”

 

“How?” Sara asked. Nyssa quickly let go of her hand and stepped back, however. Sara noticed Nyssa’s attention seemed to be on something behind her. She looked over her shoulder to see Tommy and Laurel making their way towards them. Oh great.

 

“Please don’t be angry with me,” Nyssa whispered right before Laurel and Tommy reached them.

 

“What?” Sara glanced between Nyssa and the pair. What could she possibly be angry with her about? And what did it have to do with Tommy and Laurel?

 

“Ms. Raatko,” Tommy greeted holding out his hand.

 

Wait wasn’t that the name of his new boss? Sara quickly looked between Nyssa and Tommy. But that would mean…

 

Nyssa took his hand briefly. Tommy grinned at her, “Is it inappropriate to tell my new boss that she looks lovely?”

 

Nyssa glanced at a gaping Sara and then smiled, “Let’s risk it shall we?”

 

“Well then you look great.”

 

Nyssa bowed her head, “Thank you Mr. Merlyn.”

 

“I told you to call me Tommy.”

 

“Thank you Tommy,” She gestured to Laurel. “And this is your equally lovely wife, I take it?”

 

“Oh yes, Ms. Raatko this is Laurel.” He gestured between them, “Laurel this is Ms. Raatko.”

 

Laurel held out her hand, “Ms. Raatko it’s wonderful to meet you. I can’t thank you enough for giving Tommy a chance.”

 

Nyssa shrugged the comment off, “There is no need. Your husband will be doing me a great service. I am not as up to speed on social media as I should be.”

 

Tommy smiled, “We’ll get you caught up in no time.” He finally noticed who Nyssa had been speaking to previously, “Hey Sara!” He leaned in to give her a quick hug. “Talk about looking great. Wow, Sis.”

 

“Hi Tommy,” Sara said when he let her go. She nodded to her sister, “Laurel.”

 

She was watching Sara with a confused frown on her face, “You know Ms. Raatko?”

 

“We’ve met previously,” Nyssa replied before Sara could say anything. “Officer Lance assisted me on my first trip to the city.” She smiled at Sara, “Her kindness was actually instrumental in my decision to move our American branch to Starling.”

 

“I guess I need to thank you for my new job as well Sara,” Tommy scooped her into another hug as Laurel and Nyssa smiled indulgently at them.

 

“Put me down you goof,” She slapped his shoulder until he complied. “If you really want to thank me I wouldn’t say no to a six pack of that fancy microbrew you brought to poker night at Diggle’s place last week.”

 

“Consider it done!”

 

“Watch out Ms. Raatko, Sara’s usually only nice when she wants something. She’ll have you buying an entire table for the Policeman’s Ball next month before you know it.”

 

“Oh my god Laurel,” Sara groaned.

 

“Indeed,” Nyssa smiled at Sara over the rim of her glass. The look in her eyes said that she’d buy every table in the place if Sara wished it. She swallowed the last of her drink before turning back to Laurel, “Please call me Nyssa.”

 

Laurel’s eyes widened. She quickly glanced over at Sara. At Sara’s left wrist to be exact. “Nyssa?”

 

“Yes,” The woman in question nodded. “I understand it’s a rather uncommon name in your country.”

 

“Right,” Laurel smiled. “Hey Tommy it looks like Nyssa’s glass is empty and Sara doesn’t even have one.” She looped her arm through his, “How about you and I head over to the bar and pick up a round for everyone?”

 

“Now?”

 

Laurel took the empty glass from Nyssa’s hand and shoved it in his. “Yes, right now,” She began pulling him away. “Oh damn looks like there’s a line. We may be a while.”

 

“Your sister isn’t very subtle,” Nyssa noted once the couple was out of earshot.

 

“You’re just lucky Nyssa Raatko isn’t the exact name on my wrist or she would have shoved our heads together while shouting at us to kiss.”

 

Nyssa chuckled, “Indeed?”

 

Sara gestured between them, “Believe it or not this is Laurel showing some restraint.”

 

“I think I shall enjoy getting to know her.” Nyssa smiled, “Since I am going to reside in your fair city now.”

 

“Yeah, I heard you’re moving to the States to be with your partner right?”

 

Nyssa bowed her head and looked up at Sara through her lashes, “If she’ll have me.”

 

Sara stepped closer, “That depends.”

 

“On?”

 

She reached out and ran her fingertips over the skin of Nyssa’s left wrist. Though it was covered by makeup at the moment, Sara knew she was tracing over the letters of her name. “If you’ll let me sneak you out of here and take you to dinner.”

 

Nyssa’s smile at that threatened to steal Sara’s breath away. “A proper date?”

 

“Yep,” Sara smiled in return.

 

“Correct me if I’m wrong but doesn’t the criteria for a proper date require that you pick me up at my home? Possibly provide me with half dead vegetation? Or chocolates, I rather like chocolate.”

 

Sara bit her lip, “The way you look in that dress sort of demands that we get a date out of the way, quickly. Sorry but some protocol will have to be ignored.” She leaned in close so she could whisper in Nyssa’s ear. “Apparently for the right girl I will put out on the first date.”

 

Nyssa sucked in a breath, “Really?”

 

Sara nodded and stepped back, “But you’re a lady so I have to buy you dinner first.”

 

Nyssa grabbed her arm and started towards the door, “We should make haste then.”


End file.
